Chapter 36

אעדה בת אילון. הִיא בָּשְׂמַת בַּת אֵילוֹן, וְנִקְרֵאת בָּשְׂמַת עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיְתָה מְקַטֶּרֶת בְּשָׂמִים לַעֲ"זָ:

1עדה בת אילון ADAH THE DAUGHTER OF ELON — She is identical with Basemath daughter of Elon (cf. 26:34) and she was called Basemath because she offered spices (בשמים) as incense to idols.

באהליבמה. הִיא יְהוּדִית, וְהוּא כִנָּה שְׁמָהּ יְהוּדִית לוֹמַר שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בַּעֲ"זָ כְּדֵי לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת אָבִיו:

2אהליבמה OHOLIBAMAH is identical with Judith. He (Esau) changed her name to Judith (Jewess), suggesting that she had abandoned idol-worship, so that he might deceive his father.

גבת ענה בת צבעון. אִם בַּת עֲנָה לֹא בַּת צִבְעוֹן? עֲנָה בְּנוֹ שֶׁל צִבְעוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה בְנֵי צִבְעוֹן וְאַיָּה וַעֲנָה? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא צִבְעוֹן עַל כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת עֲנָה, וְיָצְאָה אָהֳלִיבָמָה מִבֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְהוֹדִיעֲךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכֻּלָּן בְּנֵי מַמְזֵרוּת הָיוּ:

3בת ענה בת צבעון THE DAUGHTER OF ANAH THE DAUGHTER OF ZIBEON — If she was the daughter of Anah she could not have been the daughter of Zibeon, for Anah was the son of Zibeon as it is said (v. 24) “And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah”! Scripture thus tells us that Zibeon took his daughter-in-law, Anah’s wife, and of them twain Oholibamah was born (so that being a daughter of Anah’s wife she is called also his daughter). This text informs you that these were all of illegitimate birth (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 1).

אבשמת בת ישמעאל. וּלְהַלָּן קוֹרֵא לָהּ מָחֲלַת? מָצִינוּ בְּאַגָּדַת מִדְרַשׁ סֵפֶר שְׁמוּאֵל ג' מוֹחֲלִים לָהֶן עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶן, גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר, וְהָעוֹלֶה לִגְדֻלָּה, וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה. וְלָמַד הַטַּעַם מִכָּאן – לְכָךְ נִקְרֵאת מָחֲלַת, שֶׁנִּמְחֲלוּ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו:

1בשמת בת ישמעאל BASE-MATH ISHMAEL’S DAUGHTER — But elsewhere (28:9) she is called Mahalath! We find in the Agadic Midrash on the Book of Samuel (Ch. 17) that there are three classes whose sins are pardoned: a proselyte, one who is exalted to a high position and a man on his marriage. It derives the proof for the latter case from here; viz., the reason why she was also calleth Mahalath (pardon) was because his (Esau’s) sins were pardoned on his marriage to her (Megillah 17a; cf. also Genesis Rabbah 63).

באחות נביות. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא הִשִּׂיאָהּ לוֹ מִשֶּׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ:

2אחות נביות SISTER OF NEBAIOTH — because he gave her in marriage after Ishmael’s death she is called after his name (Nebaioth’s sister).

אואהליבמה ילדה וגו'. קֹרַח זֶה מַמְזֵר הָיָה, וּבֶן אֱלִיפַז הָיָה, שֶׁבָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו, אֶל אָהֳלִיבָמָה אֵשֶׁת עֵשָׂו, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא מָנוּי עִם אַלּוּפֵי אֱלִיפַז בְּסוֹף הָעִנְיָן (בראשית רבה):

1ואהליבמה ילדה וגו׳ AND OHOLIBAMAH BARE etc. — This Korah was an illegitimate child for he was the son of Eliphaz (cf. vv. 15, 16, 18) who had taken his father’s wife — Oholibamah, the wife of Esau — for he is enumerated also amongst the chiefs of Eliphaz at the end of this section (Genesis Rabbah 82:12).

אוילך אל ארץ. לָגוּר בַּאֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא:

1i.e. no particular country, but into any country), to stay where-ever he could find room.

אולא יכלה ארץ מגוריהם. לְהַסְפִּיק מִרְעֶה לַבְּהֵמוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם (ב"ר). וּמִ"אַ: מפני יעקב אחיו. מִפְּנֵי שְׁטַר חוֹב שֶׁל גְּזֵרַת "כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ" הַמֻּטָּל עַל זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, אָמַר אֵלֵךְ לִי מִכָּאן, אֵין לִי חֵלֶק לֹא בַּמַּתָּנָה, שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, וְלֹא בְּפִרְעוֹן הַשְּׁטָר, וּמִפְּנֵי הַבּוּשָׁה שֶׁמָּכַר בְּכוֹרָתוֹ:

1ולא יכלה ארץ מגוריהם AND THE LAND OF THEIR SOJOURNINGS COULD NOT — supply sufficient pasture for the cattle which they had. A Midrashic comment (Genesis Rabbah 82:13) on מפני יעקב אחיו [HE WENT TO A COUNTRY] ON ACCOUNT OF HIS BROTHER JACOB is: on account of the bond of indebtedness involved in the decree, (Genesis 14:13) “thy seed shall be a stranger etc… and they shall afflict them etc.” that was imposed upon Isaac’s descendants. He said, “I shall go hence — I desire no part either in the gift of this land which has been made to him (to my father) nor in the payment of this bond" . Another reason why he went away was on account of the shame he felt at having sold his birthright (cf. Genesis Rabbah 82:13).

אואלה. הַתּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁהוֹלִידוּ בָנָיו עַכְשָׁו מִשֶּׁהָלַךְ לְשֵׂעִיר:

1ואלה AND THESE — are the generations that his sons begat after he went to Seir.

אותמנע היתה פילגש. לְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, כַּמָּה הָיוּ תְאֵבִים לִדַּבֵּק בְּזַרְעוֹ. תִּמְנַע זוֹ בַּת אַלּוּפִים הָיְתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע, וְלוֹטָן מֵאַלּוּפֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי שֵׂעִיר הָיָה מִן הַחוֹרִים שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ בָהּ לְפָנִים, אָמְרָה אֵינִי זוֹכָה לְהִנָּשֵׂא לְךָ, הַלְוַאי וְאֶהְיֶה פִּילֶגֶשׁ. וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים מוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּבָנָיו שֶׁל אֱלִיפַז, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל שֵׂעִיר וְיָצְאָה תִּמְנָע מִבֵּינֵיהֶם, וּכְשֶׁגָּדְלָה נַעֲשֵׂית פִּילַגְשׁוֹ, וְזֶהוּ וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע, וְלֹא מְנָאָהּ עִם בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר שֶׁהָיְתָה אֲחוֹתוֹ מִן הָאֵם וְלֹא מִן הָאָב:

1ותמנע היתה פילגש AND TIMNA WAS CONCUBINE — This is stated to tell you in what importance Abraham was held — how eager people were to attach themselves to his descendants. This Timna was a descendant of chieftains, as it is said (v. 22) “And Lotan’s sister was Timna”, and Lotan was one of the chieftains inhabiting Seir — he was one of the Horites who had dwelt there from ancient times. She said to Eliphaz, “If I am unworthy to become your wife would that I might become your concubine!” In Chronicles (1 Chronicles 1:36) Scripture enumerates her amongst the children of Eliphaz, thus intimating that he took Seir’s wife and from the two of them Timna was born. When she grew up she became his concubine. This is why it is stated, “and Lotan’s sister was Timna”, and why Scripture does not enumerate her amongst Seir’s children, merely stating that she was sister to Lotan, Seir’s son, (see 5:20) because she was his sister from one mother and not from one father (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 1).

אאלה אלופי בני עשו. רָאשֵׁי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת:

1אלה אלופי בני עשו THESE WERE CHIEFTAINS OF THE SONS OF ESAU — Heads of families.

אישבי הארץ. שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּא עֵשָׂו לְשָׁם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (שבת פ"ה) שֶׁהָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּיִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ; מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לְזֵיתִים, מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לִגְפָנִים, שֶׁהָיוּ טוֹעֲמִין הֶעָפָר וְיוֹדְעִין אֵי זוֹ נְטִיעָה רְאוּיָה לוֹ:

1ישבי הארץ THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND — i.e. who had been its inhabitants before Esau came there. Our Rabbis explained (Shabbat 85b) that they are called יושבי הארץ because they were experts in making the land habitable (by skillful cultivation) saying: this entire rood of ground is suitable for planting olives, that entire rood for vines — because they tasted the soil and so discovered what was suitable for planting in it.

אואיה וענה. וָי"ו יְתֵרָה, וְהוּא כְּמוֹ אַיָּה וַעֲנָה, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּמִּקְרָא, תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא מִרְמָס (דניאל ח'), נִרְדָּם וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס (תהילים ע"ו):

1ואיה וענה literally, AND AJAH AND ANAH — The ו in ואיה is redundant, so that the words are equivalent to איה וענה Ajah and Anah. There are many examples of this in Biblical Hebrew: (Daniel 8:13) “to give (וקדש וצבא) both the Sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot”; (Psalms 86:7) “they are cast into a deep sleep (ורכב וסוס) the riders also and the horses”.

בהוא ענה. הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא אָחִיו שֶׁל צִבְעוֹן וְכָאן הוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּנוֹ? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא צִבְעוֹן עַל אִמּוֹ וְהוֹלִיד אֶת עֲנָה:

2הוא ענה THIS WAS THAT ANAH mentioned above (Genesis 36:20) as the brother of Zibeon. Here is called his son, thus telling us that Zibeon and his own mother were the parents of Anah (Pesachim 54a).

גאת הימם. פְּרָדִים, הִרְבִּיעַ חֲמוֹר עַל סוּס נְקֵבָה וְיָלְדָה פֶּרֶד, וְהוּא הָיָה מַמְזֵר וְהֵבִיא פְסוּלִין לָעוֹלָם; וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם יֵמִים? שֶׁאֵימָתָן מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיָּמַי לֹא שְׁאָלַנִי אָדָם עַל מַכַּת פִּרְדָּה לְבָנָה וְחָיָה (חולין ז') (וַהֲלֹא קָא חֲזִינָן דְּחָיָה? אַל תִּקְרֵי וְחָיָה אֶלָּא וְחָיְתָה, כִּי הַמַּכָּה לֹא תֵּרָפֵא לְעוֹלָם, בְרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן) וְלֹא הֻזְקַק לִכְתֹּב לָנוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַחוֹרִי אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי תִּמְנָע, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלַּת אַבְרָהָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה:

3את הימים means THE MULES — He crossed an ass and a mare, the offspring being a mule. Being himself the offspring of an unnatural union he reared such in the animal world (Pesachim 54a). Why are they called ימים (which may signify “dreaded beings”)? Because the fear of them lies upon people; for R. Hanina said, “No-one has ever consulted me about an injury caused by a white mule and has recovered (וחיה literally, lived)”. “But do we not see that such a person has recovered (lived)? But you should not read וחיה “and he lived”, but וחיתה “and it (the wound) healed up” — for such a wound never heals up (Chullin 7b). From “But do we not see" is to be found in an old text of Rashi. It would have been unnecessary to write the genealogy of the Horites had it not been that it wishes to mention Timna, thereby showing in what importance Abraham was held, as I have explained above (Genesis 5:12).

אואלה המלכים וגו'. שְׁמוֹנָה הָיוּ וּכְנֶגְדָּן הֶעֱמִיד יַעֲקֹב וּבִטֵּל מַלְכוּת עֵשָׂו בִּימֵיהֶם, אֵלּוּ הֵן, שָׁאוּל וְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת, דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה, רְחַבְעָם, אֲבִיָּה, אָסָא, יְהוֹשָׁפָט; וּבִימֵי יוֹרָם בְּנוֹ כָּתוּב בְּיָמָיו פָּשַׁע אֱדוֹם מִתַּחַת יַד יְהוּדָה וַיַּמְלִכוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ (מלכים ב ח'), וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל כָּתוּב וּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בֶּאֱדוֹם נִצָּב מֶלֶךְ (מלכים א כ"ב):

1’ואלה המלכים וגו AND THESE ARE THE KINGS etc. — There were eight and Jacob raised an equal number in whose days the kingdom of Esau temporarily ceased to exist, viz., Saul, Ishbosheth, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Asa, Abiah and Jehoshaphat. For of the days of Yoram his (Jehoshaphat’s) son it is written, (2 Kings 8:20) “In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah and made a king over themselves”, whereas in the days of Jehoshaphat it is written, (1 Kings 22:48) “And there was no king in Edom: a deputy was king”.

איובב בן זרח מבצרה. בָּצְרָה מֵעָרֵי מוֹאָב הִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעַל קְרִיּוֹת וְעַל בָּצְרָה וגו' (ירמיהו מ"ח); וּלְפִי שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה מֶלֶךְ לֶאֱדוֹם, עֲתִידָה לִלְקוֹת עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי זֶבַח לַה' בְּבָצְרָה (ישעיהו ל"ד):

1יובב בן זרח מבצרה JOBAB, THE SON OF ZERAH OF BOZRAH — Bozrah was one of the Moabite cities, as it is said (Jeremiah 48:24 which chapter is a prophecy against Moab), “[Judgment is come upon…] and upon Keriath and upon Bozrah etc.” Because it produced a king for Edom it is to be smitten together with them (the Edomites), as it is said (Isaiah 34:6) “For the Lord hath a slaughtering in Bozrah, [and a great slaughter in the Land of Edom]’ (Genesis Rabbah 83:3).

אהמכה את מדין בשדה מואב. שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְיָן עַל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְהָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם לַעֲזֹר אֶת מוֹאָב; וּמִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מִדְיָן וּמוֹאָב מְרִיבִים זֶה עִם זֶה, וּבִימֵי בִלְעָם עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:

1המכה את מדין בשדה מואב WHO SMOTE MIDIAN IN THE FIELD OF MOAB — for Midian came to war against Moab and the king of Edom went to assist Moab. From here we learn that although Midian and Moab were at strife one with the other yet in the time of Balaam they made peace in order to band themselves against Israel (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 3).

אבת מי זהב. מַהוּ זָהָב? עָשִׁיר הָיָה, וְאֵין זָהָב חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינָיו לִכְלוּם:

1בת מי זהב THE DAUGHTER OF ME-ZAHAB — meaning מהו זהב what value has gold? He was so rich that gold had no value in his eyes (Genesis Rabbah 83:4).

אואלה שמות אלופי עשו. שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם מְדִינוֹתֵיהֶם לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת הֲדַר וּפָסְקָה מֵהֶם מַלְכוּת, וְהָרִאשׁוֹנִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמַעְלָה הֵם שְׁמוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתָם; וְכֵן מְפֹרָשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים וַיָּמָת הֲדָד וַיִּהְיוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אַלּוּף תִּמְנָע וְגוֹמֵר:

1ואלה שמות אלופי עשו AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFS OF ESAU — [… AFTER THEIR PLACES ACCORDING TO THEIR NAMES] they were called by the names of their districts after Hadad died and the royal dignity had ceased so far as they were concerned. The former names mentioned above (v. 15ff.), are the names given them at their birth. This, too, (the first statement made here) is expressly set forth in Chronicles (2:51) “And Hadad (Hadar) died, and the chiefs of Edom were: the chief of Timna etc.” (We must therefore translate here: “the chieftain of Timna etc.”)

אמגדיאל. הִיא רוֹמִי:

1מגדיאל MAGDIEL — This is Rome (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 38).

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org